Saturday, January 13, 2018

Find out whether your computer is vulnerable to Spectre and Meltdown with just one click!

Instant vulnerability check for Spectre and MeltdownGlaring security holes in all modern processors named Meltdown and Spectre have recently made the headlines. With Ashampoo Spectre Meltdown CPU Checker, you can determine at the click of a button whether their systems are vulnerable. The program uses a Microsoft-based check that would usually require complex inputs and configuration work before you'd see results. Ashampoo Spectre Meltdown CPU Checker does it for you and checks both potential attack vectors. If your system is affected, the program will offer further information on how to protect your computer. Ashampoo Spectre Meltdown CPU requires no registration or installation to work.

What can you do if your system is affected?First: keep calm. So far, no Spectre / Meltdown-based attacks have been reported. Make sure to keep your system always up to date. Even though the issues are hardware-related, manufacturers are rolling out software patches to mitigate the vulnerabilities.

Our tips for you:Always install the latest Windows updates. If you disabled auto-updates, re-enable them in the Windows Update settings through the control panel. Important: some anti-virus programs prevent the installation of Windows updates. If you experience any issues, you may need to temporarily disable or uninstall the affected programs.

Update your browsersEspecially the Spectre vulnerability may be exploited through Internet browsers. Browser updates may prevent this. Users of Chromium-based browsers (like Chrome, Opera or Vivaldi) should enable site isolation according to Google. To do this, enter "chrome://flags/#enable-site-per-process" into your browser's address bar and click "Enable". Then, restart your browser. Mozilla Firefox include a fix to make using the exploit harder starting with version 57.

Update your BIOSSome BIOS manufacturers have started providing patches to prevent the attacks. Please visit the website of your BIOS manufacturer for details. Click here to find out how you can determine your BIOS manufacturer and version:

Handle (unknown) websites and email attachments with careTo exploit the vulnerabilities, attackers must get you to execute program code on your computer. A common approach is to use malicious email attachments or compromised websites. Please be extra careful when you open attachments or unknown websites.